Clonal cell states link Barrett's esophagus and esophageal adenocarcinoma

Abstract

Barretts esophagus is a common type of metaplasia and a precursor of esophageal adenocarcinoma. However, the cell states and lineage connections underlying the origin, maintenance, and progression of Barretts esophagus have not been resolved in humans. To address this, we performed single-cell lineage tracing and transcriptional profiling of patient cells isolated from metaplastic and healthy tissue. Our analysis revealed discrete lineages in Barretts esophagus, normal esophagus, and gastric cardia. Transitional basal progenitor cells of the gastroesophageal junction were unexpectedly related to both esophagus and gastric cardia cells. Barretts esophagus was polyclonal, with lineages that contained all progenitor and differentiated cell types. In contrast, precancerous dysplastic foci were initiated by the expansion of a single molecularly aberrant Barretts esophagus clone. Together, these findings provide a comprehensive view of the cell dynamics of Barretts esophagus, linking cell states along the full disease trajectory, from its origin to cancer.